In the telecommunications industry, broadband RF and optical signals are transferred and delivered to consumers via conductors from a head end located, for example, at the central office of a CATV telecommunications company. At the head end, a variety of RF circuit modules and optical modules are typically mounted in specially designed chassis components which are installed in a rack. The modules carry out the many kinds of RF and optical signal modifications and manipulations necessary to operate a telecommunications system, such as a CATV system.
Conventional chassis components for distribution systems and their associated modules require significant space within a standard distribution rack. For example, some conventional chassis are at least 5 RU in height or greater. In addition, the conventional chassis support a very limited number of modules. Also, the versatility and flexibility of the conventional chassis are limited because they cannot support a variety of telecommunications modules. Further, separate modules are often required to perform different management functions. For example, optical receivers and optical transmitters are provided in modules separate from RF signal management modules, such as RF signal splitters and combiners, thereby requiring multiple modules to convert optical signals to RF signals or vice versa, and split or combine the converted signals. In addition, optical modules and RF modules are typically mounted in separate chassis components, thereby requiring additionally connections between more than one chassis component. Mounting and securing the modules within the chassis typically requires bolting the individual modules to the chassis making installation and removal of the modules from the chassis difficult and time consuming.
Examples of conventional circuit modules and chassis components are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,717,486; 6,289,210; 6,195,493; 6,144,561; 6,102,214; 6,049,709; 6,046,913; 5,966,648; 5,955,930; 5,909,155; and 5,903,829, the subject matter of each of which is incorporated by reference.